“So how’re you enjoying the new digs?” Sunset asked smarmily as she dragged Twilight by the wrist back to their little room in the attic of the theater.

It was a nice enough place, if cramped; there was a lot of theater equipment— like marquees and costumes and mannequins— strewn about the place that looked like they hadn't been touched in centuries.

On some level, Sunset knew that it was unreasonable to expect the ritz in the Underworld, let alone on such short notice inside a building not meant to accommodate ponies living there. But she was still bitter about the squalid treatment of their room.

Or maybe she just didn’t like Rarity.

“They’re alright,” Twilight said, taking her arm away from Sunset and then chuckling. “Sure beats our last accommodations huh?”

Sunset crossed her arms and stared coldly. That was a good joke and Sunset kinda wanted to laugh at it, but all that came out was a puff of air from her nose.

“Look, I know what you’re thinking,” Twilight sighed and sat down on a trunk that was just lying in the middle of the room, “and I don’t trust Rarity any more than you do.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Sunset spat, and Twilight just laughed.

“Good!” she said with a smile, pushing up her glasses. Sunset hated when she did that, it made her look too cute. “Maybe that means I fooled her.”

“You can’t trust her,” Sunset griped, pointing a finger at Twilight. “You can’t trust anyone down here.”

“Yes, I know that,” Twilight sighed and rolled her eyes, Sunset clicking her tongue in frustration that Twilight wasn’t taking her seriously. “But you know I can’t trust you either, and yet I still have to rely on you. Rarity could make a powerful ally if I can get in her good graces, and I’d rather have allies down here than enemies.”

Twilight couldn’t trust Sunset? That wasn’t… she could trust Sunset, just no one else.

“Ahem, well,” Sunset cleared her throat and got back on topic, “there’s no such thing as real ‘allies’ down here—”

“Then I’ll settle for momentarily convenient allies, geez,” Twilight groaned and dragged a hand down her face. “Why are you being so difficult? I’m trying my best here to get us out of the First Circle in one piece, and I don’t see you offering any helpful suggestions!”

Twilight seemed really upset now, and she raised a good point. Maybe Sunset should apologize?

Nah.

“So what about Applejack then?” Sunset asked, swiftly changing the subject but not really. “She fit into your plans at all?”

“Eh, kinda,” Twilight croaked, rubbing the back of her neck. “Applejack would be another powerful ally, no doubt about that, but I don’t feel confident enough to push my luck. Her and Rarity are at odds with each other, so trying to convince them both to work with us seems a little too dangerous.

“Frankly, I’m just siding with Rarity because she already seems to like us—”

“Like you,” Sunset interrupted, “don’t get it confused. And frankly, she probably only likes your soul.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Twilight shrugged and crossed a leg over the other, tapping her finger against the trunk beneath her. “I guess she just seems easier to work with. Applejack seems a little more like a loose cannon. I dunno, there’s no guarantees and I really can’t depend on anything down here, I’m just trying to do the best I can in each moment.”

“Fine,” Sunset sighed relentingly and looked around for where the bed was supposed to be in this mess, falling on her back onto it and spreading out like a starfish. “I guess that’s all you can do.”

“Mhm,” Twilight hummed as she got up and walked over to the bed, sitting down right next to Sunset, who sat up like a shot.

“What are you doing?” she asked awkwardly.

“I don’t think we’ve ever had a moment of relative peace before,” Twilight giggled, and Sunset cursed her for being so cute, “so I’m savoring it.”

“You call this peace?” Sunset glowered at Twilight, who met Sunset’s sour attitude with a charming smile. “Rarity’s goons could still attack us at any moment, you know that don’t you?”

“I suppose you’re right,” Twilight lifted one hand in a half-hearted shrug, “but I don’t think they will. And that’s not out of any charity on their part, it’s just good strategy. Rarity has nothing to gain by attacking us now, especially when she had us imprisoned before and didn’t do anything then.

“Either way,” Twilight beamed, “I’m feeling confident.”

“Yeah, you sure are,” Sunset looked Twilight over and it was almost like she was looking at an entirely different purple pony to the one she was used to. “Which reminds me, how’d you manage to get free when we were imprisoned?”

That was a rhetorical question; Sunset already knew the answer, but she was curious what Twilight would say when she was asked.

“Oh, you know,” Twilight said innocently, “I just absorbed some magic from the land and I—”

“Is that right,” Sunset said flatly, narrowing her eyes at Twilight, who immediately clammed up. “You telling me the Nightmare didn’t have anything to do with your escape?”

“H-how did— it was that obvious, huh?” Twilight blushed and turned her head away, running a hand through her mane. “Look, I’m sorry, I just— I know if I told you, you would be all suspicious and lecture me about how I can’t trust anyone, like I’m not an adult who can make my own decisions.”

“Well, you can’t trust anyone,” Sunset said.

“Yeah, I know,” Twilight snapped, glaring at Sunset.

“But don’t worry, I’m not gonna lecture ya,” Sunset put her hand on Twilight’s shoulder and sighed. “I get it. The Nightmare can be very convincing.” Twilight smiled softly, and the relief on her face was obvious enough to bring a little hint of a smile to Sunset’s lips as well. Sunset chuckled and added, “I’m just surprised a good girl like you would throw your hat in with the Empress!”

Twilight laughed and slapped Sunset’s thigh, sending a jolt through Sunset’s body. She smiled fondly at Twilight, and she felt a weird pit in her stomach. Well, maybe not a pit so much as… butterflies.

Ah fuck.

“Ahem so anyway!” Sunset stood up abruptly, brushing herself off. “So what’s our next move then oh-so-wise captain?”

“We wait for Rarity,” Twilight said, and it was interesting how quickly she could shift from playing around to being serious. “I wanna know what she has to say.”

“Ugh, I guess,” Sunset puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms.

“Are you pouting?” Twilight asked, holding back laughter.

“No!” Sunset balked, throwing her arms down in front of her. “I’m just tired of waiting! And who knows how long Rarity’s gonna take, it could be forev—”

A knock at the door interrupted Sunset’s pouting.

“Twilight Sparkle? Sunset Shimmer?” that was the voice of Rarity’s little vampire sidekick. “I’m here on Rarity’s behalf, can I come in?”

Twilight grinned smugly, and Sunset just pulled down her eyelid and stuck her tongue out her tongue before heading to the door.

“What’s up?” Sunset opened the door and leaned against the doorframe. “You can’t come in, say what you want at the door.”

“Sunset, please,” Twilight chimed in, walking up to Sunset and pulling the demon away from the door, before putting her hand out for the vampire girl to shake. “You’re Coco Pommel, right? Pleased to meet you.”

“Oh, it’s m-my pleasure, honestly!” Coco didn’t take Twilight’s hand, but she did bow her head and also like her wholeass body. She was definitely overdoing it just a tad, but Sunset got the impression that it was less because she was putting on an act, and more because she was just like that.

“So what do you need?” Twilight asked, stepping away from the door and inviting Coco inside. Sunset still didn’t like it, so she was watching Coco like a hawk.

“Uh, I brought clothes for you, Twilight Sparkle,” Coco said, materializing a small pile of neatly folded clothes in her arms as she walked into the room. “Lady Rarity wants to have food and drink with you tonight, and she would like for you to be properly bathed and dressed first.”

“Still can’t get over the food thing. Rarity sure is bougie huh?” Sunset scoffed, crossing her arms and cocking her hip.

“Do you not have food in the Underworld?” Twilight asked.

“Not unless you’re rich,” Sunset shrugged. “Monsters survive on magic alone, we don’t need food or drinks. You haven’t gotten hungry since you came down here, have you?”

“I haven’t,” Twilight hummed, putting her fingers up to her lips in a thoughtful way. “I hadn’t even noticed,” Twilight chuckled awkwardly and itched her cheek, “honestly I tended to skip a lot of meals on the surface anyway.”

“So anyway,” Sunset pointed a finger at Coco, “you, vampire girl. Did Rarity say anything about me?”

“Lady Rarity would like you to join the dinner as well, Sunset Shimmer,” Coco said. “But she didn’t lay out any requests or conditions for you.”

“Thank you, Coco,” Twilight said politely as she took the clothes out of Coco’s hands and into her own. “Tell Rarity I’ll be happy to get a bath and wear some new clothes. These ones are, uhhh—” Twilight looked at her own outfit, which had become stained with dirt and ash during the trek through the Underworld “—I could use a change of pace, so thank you.”

“My pleasure, Twilight Sparkle,” Coco bowed her head. “Lady Rarity looks forward to seeing you down in the foyer tonight.”

And with that, the vampire left without another word.

“Okay, that’s creepy,” Sunset said, slamming the door with her magic. “That’s creepy, right? That Rarity wants to bathe and dress you?”

“It’s not that weird, I think it’s a reasonable request,” Twilight said, and Sunset just arched an eyebrow. “Okay yeah, it’s weird. But I guess I respect her bluntness. She wants to butter me up.”

“She should be buttering me up too,” Sunset grumbled, arms crossed and tapping a finger against her forearm, “if she really wanted to get in your good graces.”

“Would you even want her to butter you up?” Twilight asked curiously, looking over her new clothes. “I feel like you would complain.”

“I don’t, and I would,” Sunset said, “but I still prefer it to not being buttered up, y’know?”

“Fair enough,” Twilight laughed. “I guess I should go hit the bath.”

“I should go with you,” Sunset said immediately.

“Why, cuz you wanna watch me bathing?” Twilight asked teasingly, a blood red hue spreading across Sunset’s entire face.

“Hey! I’m the one who’s supposed to make those jokes!” Sunset balked and flicked her fingers at Twilight, who just giggled adorably in response cuz of course she would respond with something cute. “Anyway, I just don’t want Rarity to—”

“Relax, Sunset,” Twilight held up a hand and looked Sunset in the eye, “I can take care of myself. Just trust me.”

“I hope the irony isn’t lost on you,” Sunset growled.

“It isn’t,” Twilight laughed, taking her clothes and departing through the door, flicking her tail up at Sunset before closing the door behind her.

Sunset was alone. But not entirely alone, as she still had Twilight’s soul, and she could feel it burning in her chest easier than usual right now.

She took a deep breath, and let it go.

She would just have to trust Twilight Sparkle.

hell yea let's fucking gooooooooooooo
i've missed these girls!